1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to baby dolls, and more particularly to a doll having an exceptionally soft torso and soft arms and legs so that the doll has the feel of a real baby.
2. Status of Prior Art
Toy figures, such as dolls are known in which a head is joined by a neck to a torso from which extend arm and leg appendages. Toy figures are universally popular with children and represent one of the oldest type of toy in use throughout the world.
Toy figures which are especially appealing to children are stuffed figures, such as a Teddy Bear, in which a toy bear is stuffed with cotton batting and is covered with a plush fabric. Because a stuffed toy figure is soft and compressible, a child is able to hug and squeeze this figure as he would a pet.
A conventional stuffed toy figure, such as a figure resembling a Disney character, is expensive to manufacture, for the entire figure is stuffed with cotton batting or flexible foam. Since both the head and torso have a relatively large volume, the cost of the required stuffing is quite high, even though the padding requirements for the arm and leg appendages are small.
The present invention resides in a baby doll which simulates the feel of a real baby when the baby is dressed to lie in a crib, for then the apparel worn by the infant, such as a sleeveless shirt and a diaper are confined to the torso, the head and the arm and leg appendages then being bare. In order for this baby doll to have the feel of a real baby, it is necessary that the bare arms and legs be soft and that the fabric covered torso be exceptionally soft, as is true of a real baby.
Since in a baby doll in accordance with the invention, there is enclosed within a fabric bag defining the torso of the doll an inflatable bladder, of prior art interest is the 1994 patent to Spector, which shows a doll whose torso is formed by a non-stretchable fabric within which is an inflated balloon. Also of interest is the 1997 patent to Spector U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,339 which shows a monkey-like figure covered with simulated fur, a balloon being enclosed within the casing of this figure.
The 1997 patent to Barton U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,892 shows a plush Teddy Bear having an inflatable inner bladder within an outer cover. The 1950 patent to Henry U.S. Pat. No. 2,503,948 shows a baby doll having a flexible outer casing forming the torso of the baby, to which arms are pivoted. Within this casing is an inflatable bladder that expands the casing.